A New Pennsylvania Law Makes It Illegal to Leave Dogs Outside in Extreme Weather

Finally!

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By Nick Matoney

Nov 20, 2017

A new Pennsylvania law makes it illegal for pet owners to leave their furry friends outside for a long period of time during extreme weather.

Libre's Law, signed by Gov. Tom Wolf over the summer, increases penalties in animal neglect cases, including for leaving animals out in the cold too long.

The law says animals cannot be tied up outdoors for more than 30 minutes when the temperatures are lower than 32 degrees or higher than 90 degrees. "Your dog house that you have should keep them dry. If it rains and that freezes, that's awful. Please make sure that they can get out of the elements and they can get into the dog house and not actually be rained on. Have it raised off the ground if you can," Jennifer Vanderau, communications director for the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter, told NBC24.

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Violations related to Libre's Law range can lead to a fine or even jail time with a maximum possible sentence of 6 to 12 months.